That suffering also
which I showed to thee and the rest in the dance,
I will that it be called a mystery.

('Hymn of Jesus', Acts of St John.)

When the mind inquires into the existence of the world, it answers itself in
terms of; causality, quoting a primary cause. The myths of man speak of the
creation of the world as the dance of God. Shiva Nataraja, Lord of the
Dance, sends pulsating waves of awakening sound through matter, thereby
seducing it to life from lethargy. And matter dances, appearing round about
him as an aureole of fiery emanations. Dancing, he creates and sustains the
manifold phenomena of the universe; dancing he destroys by fire all forms
and names and gives new rest:

His form is everywhere, all pervading. ...
Everywhere is Shiva's gracious dance made manifest.....
He dances with Water , Fire, Wind and Ether.
Thus our Lord dances ever in the court.

Dance, as an expression of man being moved by the transcendent power is the
earliest art form; before man experiences his experience of life through
materials he does so with his own body, Early man dances on every occasion:
for joy, grief, love, fear; of his experience. In his dancing, the imitation
of sound and movement observed around him, and especially the involuntary
expression of motion through sound and gestures, precedes any consciously
articulated sound and dance formation. Before the dance develops into a
deliberate religious rite, it is a rhythmic release of energy, an ecstatic
act. Only very gradually, under the influence of established cults, is the
dance transformed from a spontaneous expression of movement to a fixed
pattern of steps, gestures and poses. Yet, in whatever form the dance
presents itself, it always aims at approaching the god. As an act of
sacrifice, as man giving himself to his god, the dance is total surrender.

The creator is seen as the 'unmoved mover' behind events in the cosmos, the
still point round which everything must turn, simply because it holds its
peace, encompassing both movement and perfect immobility. Rhythmic sound, in
cosmogonic myths, is at the root of all creation; and the gods are -or God
is -the formulated power through which the life-force manifests itself.
Truth, being beyond sound and rhythm, is the invisible divine center round
which all creation dances.

Radiating with fiery energy, Shiva is surrounded by a circle of flames that
burn in the heavens, mid-air, and earth. His flower-ladened locks hold the
river goddess Ganga, who fell from heaven through his hair, and a small
crescent moon. Because it waxes and wanes, the moon symbolizes the passage
of time and, therefore, death; but at the same time, according to Hindu
myth, it is also the source of the elixir of life (amrita) and immortality.
A woman's earring appears in one of his ears, for Shiva is both male and
female. Equally as ambiguous are the serpents wrapped around his body-their
bite brings death, but their phallic shape suggests procreation and life.

In his upper right hand, the Great God holds a drum-the symbol of sound, the
first of the five elements that signal creation and the beginning of time.
In the palm of his upper left hand, he reveals the flickering flame -symbol
of the conflagration that will engulf the universe at the end of time. His
other right hand is raised.in the
gesture of reassurance; the other left hand points to his upraised left
foot, which symbolizes release. His right foot tramples Apasmarapurusha, the
demon of ignorant forgetfulness: if the devotee overcomes ignorance by
realizing the meaning of ultimate reality as revealed in Shiva's form and
dance, he will be delivered from fear and attain final release from this
finite world forever. As S. Kramrisch has written: "Siva, Lord of Dancers,
dances the world into and out of existence. Dancing, he veils ultimate,
reality and unveils it for his devotee who recognizes the paramatman,
ultimate reality, within his heart."

Reference:

Dye III, Joseph M. The Arts of India: New Delhi, 2001.

Wosien, Maria, Gabriele. Sacred Dance: New York, 1974.

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im interested in buying one please contact me..thank you

by sal on 14th Mar 2013

Btw the free shipping is fantastic. It is shipped using Fedex international priority and arrives within 4-5 days from Delhi.

by Karthik on 5th Jan 2010

This is a great Nataraja statue and the colors are very pleasing. As Ramesh stated this might not conform to agamic rules but it looks impressive and divine from a high mantel. It makes me want to chant the Rudram every time I look this statue on the mantel.

by Karthik on 5th Jan 2010

This is such a beautiful and sacred Nataraja. I had look for a Nataraja for two years and finally I found the perfect size and quality to represent my love of the Divine. I received it in New Mexico, USA in four days. Amazing.

by Lee Ann Lajoie on 11th Aug 2006

This brass statue looks aesthetically pleasing, when compared to many other nataraja statues. Even though it does not confirm to agamic rules. (Hence cannot be used for rituals). I see that this one is sold, will you be getting another one just like this? If so I will be interested in buying one. Keep me informed. Thank you.

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